Shrub rose plant named ‘KORchakon’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of rose with novel light pink flowers and attractive foliage with excellent disease resistance. It exhibits spreading growth with abundant flowers. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Latin name of genus and species: The botanical classification of the newrose plant is Rosa hybrida.

Variety denomination: The denomination of the new variety is‘KORchakon’.

CROSS REFERENCES AND FEDERAL R&D STATEMENT

There are no cross referenced or related applications. This variety wasdeveloped without the aid of any research grant.

The new variety of rose plant of the present invention originated from acontrolled crossing in a breeding program of two distinct parents duringthe summer of 1999. The crossing was between an ‘un-named seedling’, theseed parent, and another ‘un-named seedling’, the pollen parent, fromthe same inventor.

The resulting seeds were planted during the following winter. Theresulting seedlings were evaluated and exhibited distinctive physicaland biological characteristics. The new rose plant was selected as asingle plant from the seedling beds due to its superior characteristicsand asexually propagated for further evaluation. This new anddistinctive rose variety is named ‘KORchakon’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its seed parent, an‘un-named seedling’, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘KORchakon’ has light pink flowers with a semi-double petal        count, whereas the ‘un-named seedling’ has red flowers with a        single petal count.    -   2. ‘KORchakon’ has a compact, spreading growth habit, whereas        the ‘un-named seedling’ has a compact, yet upright, growth        habit.

The new rose plant may be distinguished from its pollen parent, an‘un-named seedling’, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘KORchakon’ has small, light pink flowers, whereas the        ‘un-named seedling’ has medium sized, pink/cream flowers.    -   2. ‘KORchakon’ has better disease resistance than the ‘un-named        seedling’.

The objective of the hybridization was to create a new and distinct roseplant with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Uniform growth and flowering;    -   2. Abundant attractive, recurrent pink flowers;    -   3. Attractive and abundant foliage; and    -   3. Resistance to diseases encountered in landscapes and gardens.

This combination of qualities is not present in prior rose cultivarsknown to the inventor. These objectives have been substantially achievedand in that distinguish ‘KORchakon’ from all other varieties of which Iam aware.

As part of a rose development program, Tim-Hermann Kordes germinatedseeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluationsand observations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environmentin Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany. The resulting seedlings exhibiteddistinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant‘KORchakon’ was selected in May, 2000 from the seedling beds to beasexually propagated for further evaluation. The first asexualpropagation of ‘KORchakon’ was done by budding to seedling understocksin July, 2000 at the inventor's nursery in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop,Germany.

This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlledenvironments demonstrate that ‘KORchakon’ reproduces true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color drawing shows as true as is reasonably possibleto obtain in color photographs of this type, the typical characteristicsof the buds, sepals, reproductive organs, flowers, petals, leaves,prickles, and stems of ‘KORchakon’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a description of ‘KORchakon’, as observed growing inOctober, 2011 in a nursery in Jackson County, Oreg. on plants 2 years ofage. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society(London, England) Colour Chart, 2001 except where common terms of colorare used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety‘KORtufee’, a rose variety from the same inventor described andillustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,849 and issued on Jul. 18, 2006are compared to ‘KORchakon’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 Characteristic ‘KORchakon’ ‘KORtufee’ Stamen count 50-60 30Mature prickle color Green-Yellow Group Greyed-Red Group 161C 181D Petalcount 25-30 45-55

-   Parents:    -   -   Seed parent.—‘Un-named Seedling’.        -   Pollen parent.—‘Un-named Seedling’.-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical classification.—Rosa hybrida ‘KORchakon’.        -   Commercial classification.—Shrub rose.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Recurrent.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 12 mm in length from base of receptacle            to distal end of bud and 12 mm diameter at its widest point.        -   Bud form.—Short. Globular.        -   Bud color.—As sepals first unfold, bud color is Red Group            52C with a basal petal zone of Yellow Group 8D. When ¼ open,            the upper surface of petals is Red-Purple Group 63D, infused            with Red-Purple Group 62A, and the lower surface is            Red-Purple Group 65B with intonations of Red-Purple Group            61D and a basal petal zone of White Group N155C.        -   Sepals.—Color: Upper surface: Yellow Group 146D. Lower            surface: Yellow-Green Group 144C. Size: Average 10 mm (l)×5            mm (w). Shape: Weak foliaceous appendages on three of the            five sepals. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Flat at union with            receptacle. Quantity: Five. Surface texture: Upper side:            Pubescent with stipitate glands. Lower surface: Lightly            pubescent with stipitate glands. Margins: Pubescent.-   Receptacle:    -   -   Surface.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 144B.        -   Shape.—Urn-shaped.        -   Size.—8 mm (h)×4 mm (w).-   Peduncle:    -   -   Surface.—With stipitate glands.        -   Length.—25 to 40 mm average length.        -   Diameter.—1.5 to 2 mm average diameter.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 146D.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Borne.—Multiple flower buds per stem, generally 2 to 5.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Duration.—On the plant 3 to 4 days. As a cut flower, 3 to 4            days. Senesced petals drop away cleanly.        -   Size.—Small for a shrub rose. When open, the average flower            diameter is 40 mm and the average flower height is 20 mm.        -   Form.—Shape of flower when viewed from the side: Upon            opening, upper part: Flattened convex. Upon opening, lower            part: Concave. Open flower, upper part: Flattened convex.            Open flower, lower part: Concave.-   Color:    -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: White            Group N155C. Inner Side: Red-Purple Group N57C, with White            Group N155D in the basal petal zone. Innermost petals: Outer            Side: White Group N155C. Inner Side: Red-Purple Group N57C,            with White Group N155D in the basal petal zone.        -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot, outermost            petals: Outer Side: Yellow Group 2C. Inner Side: Yellow            Group 13B. Basal petal spot, innermost petals: Outer Side:            Yellow Group 13C. Inner Side: Yellow Group 13A.        -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: White            Group 155C, with intonations of Red-Purple Group 62C in the            marginal petal zone. Inner Side: Red-Purple Group 62C, with            intonations of Red-Purple Group 61D in the middle and            marginal petal zones. Innermost petals: Outer Side: White            Group 155C. Inner Side: Red-Purple Group 61D, with a basal            petal zone of White Group N155D.        -   After opening, basal petal spots.—Basal petal spot,            outermost petals: Outer Side: Yellow Group 10B. Inner Side:            Yellow Group 10A. Basal petal spot, innermost petals: Outer            Side: Yellow Group 12B. Inner Side Yellow Group 12A.-   General tonality: On open flower Red-Purple Group 61D. No change in    the general tonality at the end of the second day. Afterwards,    general tonality is Red-Purple Group 62C.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal count.—Double.        -   Average range.—Approximately 25-30 petals under normal            conditions.        -   Petal reflex.—Petals reflex somewhat strongly.        -   Petal edge.—With an indentation in the center.        -   Petal shape.—Round. Apex shape is round. Shape of base is            rounded.        -   Petal size.—15-20 mm (l)×15-20 mm (w).        -   Thickness.—Thin.        -   Petal arrangement.—Not formal.-   Petaloids:    -   -   Petaloid count.—Average of 4-8 per flower.        -   Petaloid size.—Petaloids are 15 mm (l) and 5 mm (w).        -   Petaloid color.—Color of inner side is. White Group 155C            with intonations of Red-Purple Group N57C. Color of outer            side is White Group 155C.        -   Petaloid texture.—Smooth.        -   Margins.—Undulated.        -   Petaloid shape.—Most commonly deltoid, with some petaloids            highly irregular. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—Average, approximately 25 present. Stigmas:            Location: Slightly inferior in position to anthers. Color:            Yellow-Green Group 144C. Styles: Length: About 5 mm long.            Color: Yellow-Green Group 144D.        -   Stamens.—Approximately 50-60 on average and regularly            arranged. Anthers: Size: Average 1 mm long. Pollen:            Generally present. Color: Greyed-Orange Group 163A.            Filaments: Color: Yellow-Orange Group 22A. Length: 5-6 mm.

THE PLANT

-   Growth: Moderately vigorous.-   Plant habit: Spreading habit. When grown as a budded field grown    plant on Rosa multiflora understock the average plant height is 50    cm and the average plant width is 40 cm.-   Blooming: Floriferous.-   Stems:    -   -   Stem color.—Young wood: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Older wood:            Yellow-Green Group 146D.        -   Stem surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.-   Prickles: Present.    -   -   Incidence.—Average of 7 per each 10 cm of stem.        -   Size.—Average length: 4 mm.        -   Color.—Immature prickles: Green-Yellow Group 160C. Mature            prickles: Green-Yellow Group 161C. Intonations on mature            prickles: Greyed-Red Group 182B.        -   Shape.—Deeply concave.-   Leaves and leaflets: Normally 7 leaflets on normal leaves in middle    of the stem.    -   -   Venation pattern.—Pyramidal net pattern.        -   Leaf size.—100 mm (l)×50 mm (w).        -   Abundance.—Average.        -   Texture.—Upper side of leaf: Semi glossy, smooth. Under side            of leaf: Matte, smooth.        -   Color, mature foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green            Group 146A. Lower Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B.        -   Color, juvenile foliage.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group            137A. Lower Leaf Surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B.        -   Anthocyanin intonation.—Present on juvenile leaf margins,            veins, and underside.-   Stipules:    -   -   Size.—15 mm long, 5 mm from distal tip to distal tip.        -   Stipule color.—Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Red Group 182A and Greyed-Red Group 182B            on the upper side.        -   Margins.—With stipitate glands.        -   Shape.—Apex: Apiculate. Base: Slightly winged.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—Average 8-12 mm.        -   Diameter.—Average 1.5 mm.        -   Petiole color.—Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Underneath.—Prickles and stipitate glands.        -   Margins.—Pubescent with very few stipitate glands.        -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Red Group 182A on juvenile foliage.-   Petiole rachis:    -   -   Length.—Average 10-15 mm.        -   Diameter.—Average 1 mm.        -   Color.—Yellow-Green Group 146C. Anthocyanin present on upper            side, Greyed-Red Group 182A.        -   Texture.—Smooth underneath, with occasional prickles.            Stipitate glands on margins.-   Leaflets:    -   -   Size.—Average size of the terminal leaflet is 30 mm (l)×18            mm (w).        -   Shape.—Ovate. Base: Cuneate. Apex: Acute.        -   Margins.—Finely serrated.        -   Surface.—Upper: Semi glossy. Lower: Matte.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Arrangement.—Odd pinnate        -   Venation.—Reticulate.-   Hips/seed formation: Not observed.-   Winter hardiness: To date, the variety has been grown successfully    in USDA Zones 6-9.-   Disease resistance: Excellent resistance to Powdery mildew    (Sphaerotheca pannosa), blackspot (Diplocarpon rosae), and Botrytis    (Botrytis cinerea) diseases under normal growing conditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant, as described andillustrated herein.